And spicerie sprad in her purs
To parten where hem luste.
Creed of Piers Ploughman l. 579-600.
[931] Thus, a council held at Cologne in 1306, in denouncing the mendicancy of the Begghards, quotes Gen. III. 18: “In sudore vultus tui vesceris pane tuo,” and proceeds: “Quod ad fortes et sui compotes moraliter intelligitur esse dictum: et tales in ocio victum vendicantes, eleemosynas rapiunt, quæ infirmis et debilibus fuerant pauperibus ministrandæ.” And in objecting to their views of celibacy, “Ajunt etiam: Nisi mulier virginitatem in matrimonio deperditam doleat et dolendo deploret, salvari non potest: quasi matrimonium sit peccatum, cum tamen ipsum ante peccatum in loco sancto a sanctorum sanctissimo fuerit institutum: quæ virginitas in fœtum sobolis compensatur, per quam humana natura stabilitate perdurat,” which contrasts strangely with the teachings quoted above from “Hali Meidenhad.” Great stress, moreover, is laid upon the indissolubility of the marriage vow and the wickedness of separating husband and wife:—“Quomodo spiritu Dei agantur qui contra spiritum Dei agunt, prohibentis virum ab uxore, et e converso sine causa dimitti?”—Concil. Coloniens. ann. 1306 cap. i., ii. (Hartzheim IV. 100-101). The good fathers of the council were discreetly blind to the antagonism of their teachings to the received doctrines and practices of the church.
[932] A collection of documents illustrating the history of this singular and powerful sect will be found in Baluze and Mansi III. 206 et seq.
How persistent and profound was the conviction which created the heresy is shown by its prolonged existence. Even as late as 1421 Martin V. found it necessary to issue a Bull denouncing it (Raynaldi Annal. ann. 1421 No. 4); and in Germany the council of Wurzburg in 1446, revived the old denunciations against the Begghards and Beguines (Hartzheim V. 336).
[933] Their customary salutation and password was an invocation of the fallen angel—“Salutet te injuriam passus.”—“May the wronged one preserve thee!”—Trithem. Chron. Hirsaug. ann. 1315.
[934] Trithem. loc. cit.—Raynaldi Annal. ann. 1318 No. 44.—Hartzheim Concil. German. IV. 630.
[935] Krasinski, Reformation in Poland, I. 55-56.
[936] Inter omnia monstra quæ unquam intraverunt ecclesiam, monstrum horum fratrum est seductivius, infundabilius, et a veritate ac a charitate distantius.—Univ. Oxon. Litt. de Error. Wicklif. Art. 103 (Wilkins III. 344).